Su, AIT chair discuss Chinese zone

MAINTAINING STABILITY:The DPP chairman underlined the importance of all countries in the Asia-Pacific region working together to lower tensions and avoiding conflict

By Chris Wang / Staff reporter

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) met American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Chairman Raymond Burghardt yesterday to discuss the party’s China policy and the recent escalation of regional tensions due to China’s demarcation of an air defense identification zone (ADIZ), the DPP said.

Burghardt, who arrived in Taiwan on Sunday for a five-day visit, met with Su at the DPP headquarters for a 60-minute closed-door meeting, according to a press release issued by the party.

The AIT chairman reiterated that the US has refused to recognize the Chinese zone, a point US Vice President Joe Biden made repeatedly during his recent visits to Japan, South Korea and China, the release said.

Burghardt also asked Su about the DPP’s progress in formulating its China policy, the release said.

With regard to the dispute over China’s air defense identification zone, Su underlined the importance of all democratic countries in the Asia-Pacific region — including Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Australia and the US — working together to lower tensions.

The DPP’s position is in line with Su’s advocacy of an Asia-Pacific democratic alliance, established to foster collaboration on the maintenance of regional stability and resolution of conflict, the release quoted Su as saying.

During the meeting, Su said that President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) reaction to Beijing’s demarcation of the zone has been “slow, weak and ambiguous,” the release said.

On the party’s China policy, Su said the DPP has begun summarizing of a series of panel discussions and meetings on various policy issues, and expects to finalize its policy recommendations shortly.

Burghardt, who served as the AIT’s Taipei office director between 1999 and 2001, is visiting Taiwan in his current capacity for the 15th time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

During his stay, he is scheduled to meet Ma, National Security Council Secretary-General Jason Yuan (袁健生) and Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂), the ministry said.